Convertible folder

ABSTRACT

An improved folder which is easily converted to a ring binder including a pliant fastener adapted to be threaded through perforations in pages to secure the pages to the folder. The fastener is anchored to the fabric of the folder and may be bent in a perpendicular position. The fastener is releasably connectable to a cantilever to form a ring binder. When used as a ring binder, the cantilever receives the pages in the folder and retains them on an enlarged foot. The weight of the retained pages applies a rotational force through the cantilever to bind connecting projections on the cantilever in teardrop openings on the anchored fastener. The anchored fastener and the cantilever are selectively detachable to allow insertion or removal of pages without disturbing the relative positions of the other pages.

United States Patent [191 Strong Aug. 20, 1974 1 1 CONVERTIBLE FOLDER [76] Inventor: Kline D. Strong, 1726 Country Side Dr., Salt Lake City, Utah 84106 [22] Filed: Sept. 5, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 286,363

Germany 402/47 Primary Examiner--Wm. H. Grieb Attorney, Agent, or FirmII. Ross Workman [57] ABSTRACT An improved folder which is easily converted to a ring binder including a pliant fastener adapted to be threaded through perforations in pages to secure the pages to the folder. The fastener is anchored to the fabric of the folder and may be bent in a perpendicular position. The fastener is releasably connectable to a cantilever to form a ring binder. When used as a ring binder, the cantilever receives the pages in the folder and retains them on an enlarged foot. The weight of the retained pages applies a'rotational force through the cantilever to bind connecting projections on the cantilever in teardrop openings on the anchored fastener. The anchored fastener and the cantilever are selectively detachable to allow insertion or removal of pages without disturbing the relative positions of the other pages.

10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures CONVERTIBLE FOLDER BACKGROUND I. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to folders and more particularly to an improved paper-carrying fastener assembly which easily converts a folder into a ring binder and vice versa.

2. The Prior Art Conventional folders into which papers are fastened are well-known in the art. Most commonly, folders such as legal file folders include pliant metal fasteners disposed at the top of the file folder onto which punched paper is placed and secured by bending fasteners across the paper laterally parallel to the plane of the folder. While such folders have been used for some time, it is well-known that conventional folders do not easily accommodate reading information which is written on both sides of a sheet of paper secured in the folder since the paper must be lifted at the bottom. Similarly, conventional file folders do not accommodate writing upon both sides of sheets of paper so that frequently files must be heavier and thicker than actually necessary in order to contain all of the papers relating to the file. Thus, a greater volume of file drawer space is consumed by the files than is necessary.

It is also well-known that when pages are removed or added to conventional file folders, and particularly when one or several of a plurality of pages are to be replaced, some or all of the pages must be removed in order to insert the new pages at various locations in the file.

Ring binders are also well-known. A ring binder has the feature of allowing one to selectively remove one page from a series of pages without disturbing the relative positions of the other pages. The most obvious deficiency of the ring binder is its bulk and relative thickness when compared with the number of pages which it may conveniently contain. A ring binder is normally much more expensive to manufacture than the conventional file folder owing to the increased number of parts and complexityof the ring opening mechanism.

BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a novel folder including an improved fastener and a removable cantilever which easily converts the folder from a paperholding position to a ring-like configuration over which pages may be displaced from side to side. The present invention also provides for facile removal or addition of pages without disturbing the relative position of other pages.

It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel folder and paper fastener apparatus which is easily converted to a ring binder.

It is another primary object of the present invention to provide an improved method of storing and holding pages in a folder.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a completely removable attachment for a file folder which converts the folder into a ring binder.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of a file folder including a presently preferred fastener embodiment of the invention in the paper holding position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the file folder of FIG. 1 illustrating a presently preferred cantilever embodiment coupled to the fastener of FIG. I to convert the folder into a ring binder;

FIG. 3 is a schematic elevation of the folder bottom and associated with the corresponding cantilever in exploded relation;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the fastener and cantilever of FIG. 2 with all of. the pages moved to the cantilever side;

FIG. 5 is a perspective illustration of a preferred embodiment of the pliant fastener with oppositely directed teardrop apertures formed therein; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective illustration of another presently preferred removable cantilever embodiment usable with the folder of FIGS. 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION or THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The Apparatus Reference is now made to the figures wherein like parts are designated with like numerals throughout. With particular reference to FIG. 1, a file folder generally designated 20 having conventional dimensions is provided with four pliant fasteners 36 and 37. Two of the fasteners 36 are spaced from one another along a line which is parallel to and adjacent a fold line 24 comprising part of folder 20. The fasteners 36 are used to attach pages 26 to the file folder. While it is generally sufficient to place fasteners along the fold line in the illustrated embodiment, additional fasteners 37 are located at uniformly spaced locations parallel to the left hand edge of the open folder 20.

Fasteners 37 are used to attach pages 27 to the left hand cover of the file folder 20 as shown in FIG. 1. Fastener assemblies 36 and 37 are preferably spaced one from another a distance equal to the distance between the outside rings of a conventional three-ring binder. Thus, a conventional three-hole punch may be used to place perforations 22 in the pages 26 and 27. Clearly, if desired, any other suitable spacing could be used to retain the pages in the folder.

FIG. 2 illustrates the file folder 20 being used with a cantilever 30 in the ring binder configuration. When the cantilever 30 is coupled with the fastener member 36 as will be subsequently more fully described, and when pages are mounted thereon, a ring binder configuration is formed. Pages 26 may then be consecutively leafed from the right side to the left side of the folder. It should be noted that the cantilever 30 may be coupled with the fasteners '37 to facilitate leafing pages 27 on the left side of the folder in a manner like that described with regard to pages 26 on the right side of the folder.

Because both fasteners 36 and 37 are essentially identical, only fastener 36 will be described. A preferred embodiment of the fastener 36 is shown in FIG. 5. In the embodiment shown, the fastener 36 is secured by two bendable tabs 40 to the fabric of a folder. Of course, many alternative means exist for attaching the fastener to the folder such as glue, interweaving the metal ribbon with the folder, or using rivets (not shown) which pierce the folder and the fastener to retain the fastener member. The metal ribbon of the fastener member 36 may be creased at 42 to form a generally right angle bend as shown in the figure. Near the top end of the fastener 36, as shown in this'preferred embodiment, there are two teardrop apertures 34. It should be noted that the teardrop apertures 34 in the fastener member 36 are constructed such that the widest part of the teardrop opening on the top is on the opposite side from the widest part of the teardrop opening below it on the fastener member 36. Clearly, any suitable aperture configuration could be used, although tapered apertures have been found most advantageous for the reasons hereinafter more fully set forth. The opposite orientation of the two openings is a useful part of the presently preferred coupling means which holds the cantilever.

The fastener member 36 may be formed using a metal ribbon coated with a plastic sheath which insulates sharp edges of the metal ribbon from the pages as they are passed over it and which also extends the life of the metal ribbon. Of course, any suitable structure could be used which accommodates the dual purpose of the fastener member, i.e. holding papers firmly in the file folder and selectively serving as one leg of a ring in the ring binder orientation.

With reference to FIG. 6, a perspective view of the cantilever 30 is shown. The cantilever 30 may be formed of any suitable material although plastic or nylon is presently preferred. The base of the cantilever 30 is laterally enlarged to form a foot 28 which retains the pages 26 on the cantilever 30. The enlarged foot 28 is T-shaped and is formed such that its thickness is approximately that of the remainder of the cantilever 30. It should be noted that the width of the cross arm of the T-shaped enlarged foot 28 is at least slightly larger than the diameter of the perforation 22 (see FIG. 4) in the pages 26. j

The cantilever 30 has an elongated shank 31 which is integral with the foot 28 and which is continuous with an arm 33. Arm 33 is directed angularly away from the shank 31 and preferably the axis of the arm 33 is essentially normal to the axis of the shank 31. The cantilever 30 is smoothly curved at the juncture 35 of the arm 33 and shank 31, the radius of the curved juncture 35 preferably not exceeding the width of the shank 31 so that pages 26 will be easily leafed onto the foot 28.

The cantilever 30 has a depending coupling site 39 integral with the arm 33 and situated essentially at a right angle with respect to the arm 33. In FIG. 6, the coupling site 39 is offset at 44 out of the plane of the shank 31 and arm 33. The coupling site 39 presents two projections 38 which are formed to couple with the teardrop apertures 34 shown in FIG. 5. The projections 38 have a base 41 which terminates in an enlarged knob 43.

Simultaneous use of fasteners 37 on the left and the fasteners 36 on the right side of folder (see FIG. 1) accommodates a greater number of pages and has the additional advantage of causing the file folder 20 to have substantially the same uniform thickness adjacent the fold 24 and adjacent the open top of the file when the tile is closed.

As best shown in FIG. 3, the cantilever is normally disposed opposite the fastener 36 across the fold line 24 of the folder 20. The projections 38 on the cantilever 30 are formed such that they will pass through the widest part of the teardrop opening 34 on the fastener 36. When the projections 38 are situated within the apertures 34, the base 41 (FIG. 6) will nest with the constricted portions of the teardrop apertures 34. As pages 26 are leafed onto foot 28, the weight of the pages 26 will develop a counterclockwise moment in the cantilever (as shown in FIG. 5) which tends to urge the base 41 further into the constricted portion of the apertures 34. The knobs 43 prevent inadvertent uncoupling of the cantilever 30.

It is of particular importance to note that foot 28 of the attachment member only rests upon or is suspended above the folder 20 and is not directly connected to the folder 20 in any manner. Given the fact that foot 28 is not attached directly to the folder 20, it will be recognized that no inconvenience in using the folder as a ring binder will result if there are papers or pages intervening in the space between foot 28 and folder 20. The detachable nature of the cantilever 30 provides the advantage of allowing any one page from the stock of pages 26 to be removed without disturbing the relative position of the other pages. One advantage of the completely removable feature of the cantilever 30 is that the cantilever may be easily disconnected from the fastener 36 and removed from the folder during storage. Also, both sides of the file folder may be used to hold papers, and either side may be used as a ring binder without moving or disturbing the pages which are attached to the folder on the other side.

As best shown in FIG. 4, all of the pages 26 may be leafed over the cantilever 30 and retained by the foot 28 (see FIG. 3). The fastener 36 is shown attached to the fabric of the file folder with bendable tabs 40. It should be appreciated that the offset 44 of coupling site 39 (shown in FIG. 6) between the fastener 36 and the cantilever 30 facilitates smooth transfer of pages 26 across the coupling site 39 without undue interference between the coupling site 39 and the perforations 22.

The Method As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, when it is desired to secure pages 26 and 27 in file 20, the fasteners 36 and 37 are respectively threaded through apertures 22 prepunched in the pages and the fasteners 36 are folded as shown in FIG. 1 so that the pages are pressed downwardly upon the folder 20. However, when it is desired to convert the folder to a ring binder either to allow for reading or writing on both sides of the pages 26 or 27 or, for purposes of removing selected ones of the pages without disturbing the relative position of the others, the fastener 36 is placed in a vertically erect position shown in FIG. 2. The cantilever 30 is then coupled with the fastener 36.

Coupling is accomplished by pressing the projections 38 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) through the large part of the apertures 34 on the fastener 36. Once the projections 38 have passed through the wide part of the apertures 34 downward force is then applied to the shank 31 of the cantilever 30 which exerts a rotational force at the coupling site 39 relative to the fastener 36. The rotational force binds the base 41 of projections 38 in the constricted part of the apertures 34 thereby securely coupling the fastener and cantilever together. As more paper is placed upon foot 28 (see FIG. 6) of the cantilever 30, the force which binds the cantilever to the fastener increases correspondingly.

After the cantilever 30 is firmly affixed to the fastener 36, the pages 26 (see FIG. 4) may then be leafed from one side of the folder to the other side. It should be observed with reference to FIG. 2 that the same conversion method applies to pages 27 as has been explained with relation to pages 26.

The folder 20 is made ready for storage by placing all of the pages 26 or 27 over the corresponding fastener 36 or 37 and thereafter removing the cantilever 30. The fasteners are then bent into the position shown in FIG. 1. If desired, the cantilever may be stored apart from the folder 20. Alternatively, the cantilever may be placed in a suitable repository (not shown) forming part of the folder 20.

It can be appreciated from the above description that this invention is easily converted from a folder to a ring binder so that pages in the folder may be turned from side to side facilitating reading and writing on both sides of the pages. Further, any one of the pages may be removed without disturbing the relative position of the others by detaching the attachment member from the fastener member 36 when desired.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A folder for carrying pages and being temporarily convertible into a ring binder comprising means for fastening the pages to the folder, the fastening means having one end mounted upon the folder and comprising an elongated pliant body which is foldable at least (1) into a plane parallel to an edge of the pages, maintaining the position into which it is placed thereby securing the pages to the folder and (2) into a plane essentially perpendicular to that of the pages; and an attachment member (a) normally releasably connected with the fastening means and removable from the folder forming in combination with the fastening means a single generally arcuate configuration projecting out of the plane of the folder and (b) terminating in a free end which comprises an enlarged T-shaped foot.

2. A folder as defined in claim 1 wherein said attachment member is a cantilever presenting a coupling site for attachment to the fastening means.

3. A folder as defined in claim 2 wherein said coupling site is offset out of the plane of the cantilever.

4. A folder for carrying pages which converts easily to a ring binder comprising means for fastening the pages to the folder, the fastening means having one end mounted upon the folder and comprising an elongated pliant body which is foldable at least (1) into a plane parallel to an edge of the pages, maintaining the position into which it is placed thereby securing the pages to the folder and (2) into a plane essentially perpendicular to that of the pages; and, an attachment member (a) normally releasably connected with the fastening means forming in combination with the fastening means a single generally arcuate configuration projecting out of the plane of the folder and (b) terminating in a free end; and wherein one of the fastening means and attachment members has at least two spaced projections and the other of the fastening means or attachment member has correspondingly located apertures so that a releasable connection is formed between the attachment member and the fastening means when the projections are inserted into the apertures.

5. A folder as defined in claim 4 wherein each of said projections comprises a terminal end which is enlarged to provide friction coupling of the projections in the apertures.

6. A folder as defined in claim 4 wherein said apertures are two in number and teardrop in configuration, the tapered portion of each aperture being oriented oppositely to the tapered portion of the other so that any downward force on the attachment member will urge the projections toward the constricted portions of the aperture.

7. An attachment member comprising coupling means for releasably securing the attachment member to a pliant fastener ribbon, the attachment member forming a cantilever effect with the pliant ribbon at the coupling means; a curved upper arm integral with the coupling means; a depending shank integral with the arm and terminating in a free end having an enlarged foot.

8. A method of temporarily converting a pagecarrying folder to a ring binder comprising the steps of:

securing the pages to the folder by disposing the free end of at least one pliant fastener through a corresponding perforation in the page and bending the fastener parallel to one edge of the page;

lifting the fastener to an upright position and coupling a cantilever thereto so that the cantilever is essentially coplanar with the fastener and terminates in a free end having a T-shaped enlarged foot; and

leafing the pages from side to side over the fastener,

coupling and cantilever.

9. A method of converting a page-carrying folder to a ring binder comprising the steps of:

securing the pages to the folder by disposing the free end of at least one pliant fastener through a corresponding perforation in the page and bending the fastener parallel to one edge of the page;

lifting the fastener to an upright position;

urging projections on one of the fastener or cantilever through correspondingly located tapered apertures on the other fastener or cantilever;

applying an angular force on the cantilever so as to urge the projections into contiguous relation with the tapered ends of the apertures so that the cantilever is essentially coplanar with the fastener and terminates in a free end; and

leafing the pages from side to side over the fastener,

coupling and cantilever.

10. A method as defined in claim 9 further comprising detaching the cantilever by applying an angular force on the cantilever to move the projections to the enlarged portion of the tapered apertures and thereafter withdrawing the projections from the apertures. 

1. A folder for carrying pages and being temporarily convertible into a ring binder comprising means for fastening the pages to the folder, the fastening means having one end mounted upon the folder and comprising an elongated pliant body which is foldable at least (1) into a plane parallel to an edge of the pages, maintaining the position into which it is placed thereby securing the pages to the folder and (2) into a plane essentially perpendicular to that of the pages; and an attachment member (a) normally releasably connected with the fastening means and removable from the folder forming in combination with the fastening means a single generally arcuate configuration projecting out of the plane of the folder and (b) terminating in a free end which comprises an enlarged T-shaped foot.
 2. A folder as defined in claim 1 wherein said attachment member is a cantilever presenting a coupling site for attachment to the fastening means.
 3. A folder as defined in claim 2 wherein said coupling site is offset out of the plane of the cantilever.
 4. A folder for carrying pages which converts easily to a ring binder comprising means for fastening the pages to the folder, the fastening means having one end mounted upon the folder and comprising an elongated pliant body which is foldable at least (1) into a plane parallel to an edge of the pages, maintaining the position into which it is placed thereby securing the pages to the folder and (2) into a plane essentially perpendicular to that of the pages; and, an attachment member (a) normally releasably connected with the fastening means forming in combination with the fastening means a single generally arcuate configuration projecting out of the plane of the folder and (b) terminating in a free end; and wherein one of the fastening means and attachment members has at least two spaced projections and the other of the fastening means or attachment member has correspondingly located apertures so that a releasable connection is formed between the attachment member and the fastening means when the projections are inserted into the apertures.
 5. A folder as defined in claim 4 wherein each of said projections comprises a terminal end which is enlarged to provide friction coupling of the projections in the apertures.
 6. A folder as defined in claim 4 wherein said apertures are two in number and teardrop in configuration, the tapered portion of each aperture being oriented oppositely to the tapered portion of the other so that any downward force on the attachment member will urge the projections toward the constricted portions of the aperture.
 7. An attachment member comprising coupling means for releasably securing the attachment member to a pliant fastener ribbon, the attachment member forming a cantilever effect with the pliant ribbon at the coupling means; a curved upper arm integral with the coupling means; a depending shank integral with the arm and terminating in a free end having an enlarged foot.
 8. A method of temporarily converting a page-carrying folder to a ring binder comprising the steps of: securing the pages to the folder by disposing the free end of at least one pliant fastener through a corresponding perforation in the page and bending the fastener parallel to one edge of the page; lifting the fastener to an upright position and coupling a cantilever thereto so that the cantilever is essentially coplanar with the fastener and terminates in a free end having a T-shaped enlarged foot; and leafing the pages from side to side over the fastener, coupling and cantilever.
 9. A method of converting a page-carrying folder to a ring binder comprising the steps of: securing the pages to the folder by disposing the free end of at least one pliant fastener through a corresponding perforation in the page and bending the fastener parallel to one edge of the page; lifting the fastener to an upright position; urging projections on one of the fastener or cantilever through correspondingly located tapered apertures on the other fastener or cantilever; applying an angular force on the cantilever so as to urge the projections into contiguous relation with the tapered ends of the apertures so that the cantilever is essentially coplanar with the fastener and terminates in a free end; and leafing the pages from side to side over the fastener, coupling and cantilever.
 10. A method as defined in claim 9 further comprising detaching the cantilever by applying an angular force on the cantilever to move the projections to the enlarged portion of the tapered apertures and thereafter withdrawing the projections from the apertures. 